Many machines both for household and professional use are known that allow a consumer to prepare foods or drinks out of capsules or pods containing the ingredients thereof. The way the capsule or pod is inserted into the food preparation machine is key for accessibility of the system, and consumer convenience. More particularly, the capsule or pod insertion should preferably be direct and simple, and allow proper and easy removal of the used capsule or pod.
Each one of the suppliers of the systems using capsules has developed its own specific shape and size for the capsules or pods and the machine holder that goes therewith. Typically, capsules have a thicker configuration, with a shape that is generally frustoconical.
The generic principle of food preparation from a capsule comprises, after insertion of the capsule into a receptacle of the machine, the injection or diffusion of a fluid—hot or cold water for instance—into the capsule. The said fluid will extract (using a fluid pressure build-up inside the capsule) and/or dissolve (low or no pressure inside capsule) at least one food product contained in the capsule, so as to prepare the end food product that will then flow out of the capsule, into a cup.
Due to the fact that food preparation machines use a flow of fluid to prepare a food product from the capsule, it is essential to guarantee fluid-tightness between the capsule and the machine. Additionally, some machines allow the preparation of a whole range of different products, depending on which ingredient is initially packed into a capsule. Hence, the possibility to prepare with the same machine for instance an espresso coffee by insertion of a coffee capsule or pod into the machine, and immediately afterwards, a chocolate cup by insertion of a chocolate capsule. In such cases however, it is important to guarantee that no-cross contamination occurs between two different products prepared one after the other. It is also important to guarantee that the machine is not in contact with the dispensed product so that no product stays after dispensing, avoiding risks of microorganisms development in the machine, which is of course undesirable for the consumer.
For the aforementioned reasons, some systems include a capsule or pod holder, which is built-in and movable, or is detachable relative to the machine, so that a capsule can be directly inserted, and then removed once it is used.
An additional important technical characteristic of the capsule holder is that its shape and size is adapted to tightly fit the size and shape of a corresponding capsule, in order to guarantee that the capsule will not be damaged or explode under the effect of internal pressure, when the food preparation involves a pressure build-up of the injection fluid inside the said capsule during the preparation process.
In some cases however, a consumer could be tempted to use the machine for the preparation of a product that is not proposed in the range of products of the capsules or pods that usually fit the machine.
There is therefore a need for allowing a flexibility of the machines using a capsule holder, so that a machine developed for the use with a certain type of capsules or pods can also be used with other capsules, while guaranteeing the same level of safety, food product quality and convenience, as the native system of capsules or pods.